It's the Story of Those Who Always Loved You
by FlickerInTheDark
Summary: Modern AU where Valjean and Javert raise Cosette. This is a scrapbook of random stories of before, during and after raising Cosette. Domestic life with the Javert-Valjeans. Fluff with some darker chapters and some PG spicey moments tossed in. Each chapter will have the necessary warnings should you wish to skip that chapter.
1. What is in a Name?

**Warnings: None**

As early as Cosette could remember, she had her Papa and her Father. The two men had decided these names early on before they even know a little girl would enter their lives.

"If we were to have a child, what would we be called?" Valjean asked. He was supine on the grass with his head resting on Javert's lap. Javert had been reading a crime novel while Valjean looked up at the sky. It was a lazy Sunday afternoon after Mass. Javert never joined Valjean; he instead waited in a nearby park reading until the service was over, and Valjean joined him. This had been the habit for the past few years since they were married.

"What do you mean?" Javert asked curiously, not putting his book down.

"Well, one of us is obviously dad or some other paternal title, but what about the other? Would you like to be called 'mom'?" Valjean said while propping himself on his elbow and looking down.

"Of course not!" Javert scoffed and gently hit Valjean's leg with the book.

"Well?" Valjean was not ready to drop this line of conversation

"We haven't even decided if we are having a child. Christ, you only just sprung this idea on me last week!" Javert said, putting his book down and looked into his husband's eyes.

"Please don't use the Lord's name in vain and besides…humor me," Valjean pleaded.

"Oh, fine!" Javert said and then thought. "I suppose Father would be appropriate."

"So formal. Any particular reason?"

"Excuse me; I am the Inspector here."

Valjean sat up and put his arms in front of himself in defense.

"I suppose," Javert said, relenting, "I suppose that if I ever knew my father, I think I would have called him that. Besides, 'father' commands presence and respect."

"Our child is not a prisoner. I don't want him or her thinking they have a prison warden for a parent, even if that was your old day job," Valjean said suspiciously.

"No, I suppose not. But it evokes dignity and a strong presence," Javert included, "I want our child to feel safe. And if anyone dares pick on them, they can say 'My father will hear about this!'"

"That is very interesting, a bit Draco Malfoy, but I like your intentions. And look, you sound like you are warming to the idea of a child," Valjean teased.

"I won't warm up entirely until I hear what you want to be called? Daddy?" That last word made Javert smirk. He hoped he could keep that one for himself.

"If they choose. Frankly, anything would be acceptable."

"Daddio, Dadster, male parental figure, D-man?" Javert listed off.

"Oh, goodness, no."

"Well, those could all be possibilities if you don't set a precedent," Javert warned.

"Oh, alright. Papa. I always liked that. It sounds so warm and inviting. Since we will likely be adopting, I want the child to hear something nice. Not Mr. Javert-Valjean," he said. "But depending on the culture of the child, perhaps _baba _or _Papi. _But honestly, anything the child would be comfortable with. And perhaps it will change over time."

"Yes. Father and Papa. That all sounds so… domestic," Javert noted.

And so Cosette had always known these two men as that. She was six when they adopted her, and the first words she heard from Valjean was, "Hello Cosette, I am your Papa, and this is your Father. How do you feel about coming to live with us as our daughter?"

"Yes," is all she said simply. It would take some time before she actually used those names, but she never the less knew that she had two loving parents.


	2. On this Page Part 1

**Part 1**

**Warnings: NONE**

Cosette Age 9

Cosette stood in the doorway of Valjean's office and watched him write. It was a dreary Saturday with not much to do. Javert was at work, and her Papa seemed busy, so she didn't want to pester. Besides, just being near him was enough to keep her entertained.

"Cosette, darling, please don't lurk in doorways; it isn't polite," he said, turning around and smiling.

She had lived with them for about a year, and this was one of the hardest things not to do. When she lived with the Thenardiers, she was never sure when she might need to flee, and so she made a habit of clinging to the door frame. Valjean always made a point of inviting her in and making her feel comfortable but old habits are a hard thing to shake.

Her Papa closed his journal and gestured for her to come over, and she did. He hoisted her onto his lap and asked, "And what do I owe this visit?"

"I just wanted to know what you were doing," she said quietly.

"Papa wasn't doing anything terribly important. Is there something you need? Are you hungry?"

"You were writing in your journal," she said, eyeing the book he had pushed to the corner of his clean desk.

"So, I was."

"Can I see?" she asked. She had seen the journal before, but this was the first time she dared ask.

Valjean sucked in a breath and considered. "Cosette, you know I will share just about anything with you and your father, but this is one matter I would like to keep to myself for now."

"But why? Is it a secret?" Cosette's eyes opened wide. "I can keep a secret!"

"I know you can. But what I am writing, you and father are not ready for quite yet. It is like you and your art. You don't like it when either of us sees your masterpiece until it is done."

"So, someday I can see it?"

"One day, I promise." He noticed she looked crestfallen and said, "Is there something you want to do? Do you want to go to the park?"

"Yes, papa!" she jumped off and ran away to get her shoes on. As she ran off, he hoped she wouldn't ask about the journal again. He also hoped she wouldn't need to see what he was writing for a very long time.


	3. On this Page Part 2

**Part 2**

**Warnings: NONE**

Cosette Age 13

"Father, do you know where papa keeps the graph paper?" Cosette had been doing her math homework, and she had been so messy that she wanted to rewrite it again. Not because she necessarily cared, but Mrs. Jaques was a stickler for neatness, and she didn't want points taken off. Papa was out helping organize a food drive for their local church. He was going to be out for a while and insisted Cosette should stay home and work on her homework even though she begged to join him.

"I think he has some in his desk drawer, the one on the lower left," Javert said, looking up from his laptop.

"Thank you."

She walked to her papa's office and immediately found the paper. But as she was closing the drawer, she spied his old leather journal. She hadn't given the journal a serious thought in a while. It wasn't as if he kept it a secret. Often when they were at home, and it was quiet, he would be writing. He took the book everywhere and was constantly jotting things down.

She knew she shouldn't peek, but it was just sitting there. He would never know she had peeked, and besides what harm could a quick look cause? She leaned over and opened the cover. The first page simply said For my darling Cosette in his elegant script.

Cosette shut the cover. It was his private business. But as she touched the book's cover again, she heard a cough came from behind her, and her father was standing there. She was so startled that she dropped the graph paper. The paper wasn't in a folder or bound, so it went flying.

"Oh, hello, Father!" she said and quickly knelt to pick up the papers.

"Cosette," he said sternly.

"I know, I know. I should have grabbed the paper and got out. I know snooping is wrong."

Javert shook his head. She was always apologizing to him. Cosette was apologetic by nature, but with him, it seemed she was hastier and more formal. He knelt as well to help pick up the papers.

"I know he has his secrets. Trust me; it infuriates me sometimes when I don't know quite what your papa is thinking. But that's just who he is," he tried gently. He was never the gentle sort. Now, if someone needed to be brought to justice, like when a kid had copied her homework, he was the one for the job.

"If he just told me or gave me any idea, I wouldn't be so curious. I know he is an adult and knows best, but still," she huffed.

"You just have to trust he will tell you in time. I remember he kept his plans to propose to me for five years, and it drove me wild wondering. But it was worth it. He always has a plan, and you just have to trust."

"You're right." Cosette left with her paper, and Javert was left wondering if he should tell his partner about this exchange.

***That Night***

"I'm going grocery shopping tomorrow, so be sure to write down anything you want on the list," Valjean reminded Javert that night. Javert was finishing reading the newspaper, and Valjean was reading his devotionals.

"Is it the weekend already? These weeks do fly by!" Javert commented.

"They do! Soon it will be Thanksgiving, and we will all get some quality time together. I fear with your promotion and orders at the factory picking up, we never see each other all at once, " Valjean said before quickly noting, "Not that I am not pleased that you finally got the position you dreamed of, Inspector!"

They finished their reading and kissed. When the lights had been out for a few minutes, Javert said, "Hun, can I talk to you about something?"

"Of course." He felt Valjean shift and turn, so he was on his elbow looking at him.

"Cosette was in your office. It is, in part, my fault. She was looking for graph paper, and I knew you had some. So, I sent her in there, and I caught her looking at your journal," Javert confessed.

"I know."

"You knew? How?"

"There was a piece of paper on the floor."

"If you knew why haven't you punished her of at least spoken to her? She was snooping. "

"Not everything needs swift punishment. I am sure you spoke to her, and that is enough. And on the snooping front, I doubt it. She may have peeked, but I think she wouldn't have gotten too far. She is a good girl and knows right from wrong. I also know God wouldn't have led her to temptation," Valjean said calmly.

"I blame myself. I shouldn't have sent her into your office without your permission," Javert contested.

"She needed graph paper. What's mine is hers."

Javert sat with those words. "But if what is yours is hers, why will you not just tell her? She is getting older, and distractions no longer work. You say she is good, but I know teenagers. I worked with them for 15 years, and every teen gets rebellious."

"I too, have worked with teenagers, and I also know that given a chance, they will do right. I am not worried about her peeking, but I want her to wait until it is time."

"And when will that be?"

"Not for a very long time, I hope."


End file.
